Shao Jingyuan’s resentment toward Marquis Jing’an had reached its peak.

He couldn’t understand why his father wouldn’t be content being a stable marquis, but instead insisted on risking the entire family’s heads to raise the orphan of a traitorous rebel.

He even less understood why, when he was the heir apparent and the one to inherit the Marquis Jing’an residence, when disaster struck, his father had saved his third brother instead.

Since his father didn’t care about the marquis’ residence’s inheritance or him as the legitimate eldest son, what was left for him to care about? They were all going to be beheaded anyway.

Marquis Jing’an’s coughing never stopped. In this dark, cold, and damp prison cell, it carried a heart-stopping quality.

Separated by iron bars, Qiao Zhao couldn’t do much. She could only take out a small porcelain bottle from her pouch and pass it over: “Lord Marquis, please take one pill.”

The Jinlin Guard standing in the distance wanted to stop her, but hesitated and remained silent.

Marquis Jing’an accepted the porcelain bottle and suppressed his coughing: “Child, what are you doing here? This isn’t a place you should come to.”

Qiao Zhao curtsied: “I came to see you. I should have come earlier.”

“How is Mingyuan?” Marquis Jing’an naturally knew that Qiao Zhao had visited Shao Mingyuan first and eagerly asked.

“He’s doing well. Please don’t worry.”

Marquis Jing’an carefully observed Qiao Zhao, seeing her faint smile and peaceful expression, and breathed a slight sigh of relief: “That’s good. What I worry about most is those people torturing him…”

“Tingquan is also very worried about you, so you must take good care of your health.”

“Ha, what’s the use of worrying? We became like this because of him!” Shao Jingyuan’s voice from the corner was gloomy, filled with resentment.

A flash of mockery and pity crossed Qiao Zhao’s eyes as she looked at Shao Jingyuan.

After more than twenty years of living as a pampered heir, suddenly becoming a prisoner had unbalanced his mentality to the point where he had lost all dignity. Such a person, even if he inherited the Marquis Jing’an residence, was destined not to go far.

Marquis Jing’an was disappointed and pained but said nothing.

Regarding this son, he was disappointed in his performance, but he also felt guilty.

He truly wasn’t a good father.

Qiao Zhao naturally had nothing to say to Shao Jingyuan. After letting him make a few sarcastic remarks until he found it boring and shut up, she gently consoled Marquis Jing’an: “Heaven never seals off all exits. I believe Tingquan will be fine. As long as you keep your spirits up and maintain your health, that would be the greatest comfort to him…”

Marquis Jing’an nodded repeatedly: “Tell Mingyuan not to worry. These old bones of mine are still sturdy and won’t have problems. Child, you should go back quickly. It’s too cold here, not a place for you to linger.”

“Then please take care of yourself.” Qiao Zhao curtsied and instructed: “Take one pill from the porcelain bottle before bed each day—it can ward off cold evil.”

After Qiao Zhao left with the Jinlin Guard, Marquis Jing’an finally walked over to sit beside Shao Jingyuan, sighing: “Jingyuan, you are the heir of the Marquis Jing’an residence. Show some backbone in front of others!”

Born in the inner chambers and raised among women, the fact that his legitimate eldest son had become like this was his greatest responsibility as a father.

This was the price he had to bear for years of campaigning.

“Father, even now you still think I’ve disgraced you?” Shao Jingyuan’s face was full of resentment. “Have you ever considered my feelings? All these years, I’ve been overshadowed by Shao Mingyuan in everything. I’m the legitimate eldest son, yet those people would openly discuss how excellent he was right in front of me, without any consideration. Whoever cared about my feelings? Back then, I thought, he’s my brother—who told me to have such a capable brother? But suddenly, he became your illegitimate son. So what did all the pressure I endured from childhood amount to?”

Shao Jingyuan became more agitated as he spoke: “But even more ridiculous things followed. He turned out to be the descendant of a traitorous rebel, and for his sake, you’ve dragged the entire marquis residence down with him. So Father, I want to ask you, what do you consider me to be in your heart? Something that can be discarded at will?”

Marquis Jing’an smiled bitterly: “There’s an order between elder and younger. You’ve always been the heir of the marquis’ residence.”

“Then why, when disaster struck, did you secretly send away the third brother while not breathing a word to me?” Thinking of Marquis Jing’an’s favoritism, Shao Jingyuan’s heart turned completely cold.

Marquis Jing’an looked silently at Shao Jingyuan for a long while before sighing: “It’s precisely because you’re the heir. Honor has always been matched by responsibility.”

After Marquis Jing’an finished speaking, he covered his mouth and began coughing.

Shao Jingyuan’s eyes flickered as he fell into deep thought.

In Prince Rui’s residence, the cluster of canna flowers in Li Jiǎo’s courtyard had sprouted new green shoots. Prince Rui suppressed his excitement and walked quickly inside.

Li Jiǎo was sitting under a tree outside, embroidering.

“What is Jiǎo’er embroidering?”

Li Jiǎo showed her embroidery hoop to Prince Rui: “I’m preparing to embroider some handkerchiefs for you.”

Prince Rui glanced at the upright green bamboo on the embroidery cloth and nodded: “I didn’t expect Jiǎo’er to have such fine needlework skills, but be careful not to strain your eyes. We have a needlework room.”

Li Jiǎo pressed her lips together: “After all, these are for Your Highness’s personal use.”

Prince Rui wasn’t very interested in this topic. He smiled casually, then said with barely contained excitement: “Prince Gong just woke up.”

“Ah, how is Prince Gong?” Li Jiǎo secretly held her breath and followed Prince Rui’s lead in asking.

Were all men like this? When they liked someone, everything that person did was good; when they had no feelings for someone, nothing that person did would move them.

She lowered her eyes to look at her tender white fingers full of needle marks and nearly spat blood.

She had stupidly turned her fingers into a honeycomb with needle holes, yet His Highness hadn’t even glanced at them!

Prince Rui naturally had no idea of Li Jiǎo’s bleeding heart at this moment and continued: “Prince Gong looks much more spirited and even asked for food to be brought. Jiǎo’er, this time it’s all thanks to your introduction.”

As he spoke, he took Li Jiǎo’s hand and gently squeezed it.

Li Jiǎo quickly turned her palm up, curled her fingers, and smiled: “Being able to ease Your Highness’s worries is what this concubine should do.”

Surely His Highness would see her scarred fingers now?

Prince Rui laughed heartily, released Li Jiǎo’s hand, and patted her arm: “Jiǎo’er truly is an understanding flower. I see that Third Miss doesn’t have the prejudice against you that you mentioned—didn’t she come as soon as you invited her?”

Li Jiǎo: “…” Should she poke her fingers into His Highness’s eyes?

“Jiǎo’er should invite Third Miss to visit often in the future. After all, you’re sisters—it’s not good to be estranged.”

From current appearances, Third Miss Li’s medical skills had truly inherited Physician Li’s teachings. Now that Physician Li wasn’t around, if his health truly had problems, he might need to rely on Third Miss Li.

Li Jiǎo didn’t know Prince Rui’s thoughts. Hearing him say this, her heart immediately tightened.

What did His Highness mean? Could it be that he had taken a fancy to Li Zhao?

“Now that Marquis Guanjun is imprisoned, this concubine feels it wouldn’t be appropriate to frequently invite the third sister to the residence. I’m afraid it might cause trouble for Your Highness…”

Prince Rui smiled: “You’re sisters—what’s improper about being close? Although Marquis Guanjun has entered the prison, what does that have to do with her, an unmarried woman? Furthermore—”

Furthermore, if Marquis Guanjun was truly convicted, the crime wouldn’t extend to an unmarried weak woman. If he were ultimately cleared, he would surely think Prince Rui’s residence righteous.